Slitting and rewinding machine



Aug. 28,1923.

J, A. CAMERON E'r AL SLITTING AND REWINDING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 6. 1917 l2 Sheets-SheeiI J Aug. 28, 1923. 1,465,967

' J. A. CAMERON ET AL SLITTING AND REWINDING MACHINE Driginal Filed Deo. 6. 1917 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 28, 1923. 1,465.96?

J. A. AMERoN ET AL SLITTING AND REWINDING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 6. 1917 y 12 Sheets-Sheet 3 By l @6em /1 TTOH/VEY Aug. 28, 1923. 3,465,967

J. A. CAMERON ET AL SLITTING AND REWINDING MACHINE l2 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Dec. 6, 1917 Aug. 28, 1923.

1,465.967 J. A. CAMERON ET AL SLITTING AND REWINDING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 6. 1917 l2 Sheets-Sheet 5 Ang. 2s, 1923. 1,465,967

J. A. CAMERON ET AL SLIYTTING AND REWINDING MACHINE Original FiledDec. 6. 1917 12 Sheets-sheet e ,BY w wmf@ /l TTOR/VEV J. A. CAMERON ET AL SLITTING AND REWINDING MACHINE Aug. 28, 1923.

Original F-iled Dec. 6. 1917 "L2 Sheets-Sheet '7 Aug. 28, 1923.

.1. A. CAMERON ET Al.

SLITTING AND REWINDING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 6. 1917 12 Sheets-.sheet 5 rtrfrrwffifflrnlrallr 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 J. A. CAMERON ETAL l SLITTING AND REWINDING MACHINE Original Fi-lec Dec. 6. 1917 Aug. 28, 1923.

J A CAMERON ET AL SLITTING AND REWINDING MACHINE Original Filed Deo. 6. 1917 Aug. 28, 1923.

Aug. 28, 1923.

. 1,465,967 J. A. CAMERON ET AL SLITTING AND RWIDINGYMACHINE 12 Sheets-Sheet 11 Original Filed Dec. 6, 1917 Aug. 28,- 1923.0 F 1,465,967

A J. A. CAMERON ET AL SLITTING AND REWINDING MACHINE 0rigina1 Filed Dec. 6. 1917 12 sheets-sheet 12 A TTRNEV 45 mary rollV Also, the paper being fre reame aeg. ze, ieee.

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simens a. CAMERON AND GUSTAN amena einen, Or BROOKLYN, New YORK, AssreNoRs TO CAMERON MACHINE COMPANY, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, a

CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

sLrr'rrNe AND aEwINDINe MACHINE.

.application led December 6, 1917, Serial No.. 205,840. ARenewed January 13, 1922. Serial No. 529,088.

- To all whom t may concer/n.:

. and GUSTAF B.-B1ncH, citizens of the United States, and residents of the borough of 5' Brooklyn, in the city of New York, county of Kings, and `State of. New York, have inf vented certain new and useful Improvements in Slitting and Rewinding Machines, of l is necessary to handle it more delicately and which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to slitting and rewinding machines and more especially to the type employed in paper making mills.

Paper in now manufactured in very Wide widths, say from one-hundred and twenty to two hundred or more inches, and it has -become lthe custom to slit the paper as it comes from the paper making machinery into rolls of commercial size. The rolls thus produced may, of course, be, and frequently are, still further subdivided into sections of various sizes ranging all the wayA down to a very narrow widthand small diameter of roll, known as midget rolls, such for instance, as are used for adding machines or automatic telegraphing machines. 'It has been found in handlingv rolls of relatively small size, that certain problems are encountered with respect to the slitting and rewinding thereof. These problems have been in a general way set forth in the patent tOCameron & Birch No. '"-',076,189 of 10ctober 21, 1913.

When, however, it is attempted to slit a very wide web coming fresh from the paper making machinery, a somewhat different set 'of conditions arise that call for methods different from those employed in overcoming the dii'iculties encountered in slitters and rewinders of relatively small size. In a very wide web of paper, the difference in thickness at the opposite sidesof the web is frequently ence found in paper coming from commercial rolls that are subdivisions-of a large llri`1 made is, in ameasure, still plastic and conl sequently unless care is'taken, rolls fit for commercial use will fnot be produced. It

will also be understood that while it is comparatively easy to control the flow of the.

web from acommercial roll that is mountedpna supporting shaft in alinemet with the remaining rollers of the machine, it is extremely dificult to aline thepaper vreels and the slitters and rewinders'in such way that the flow from the paper reels will be uniform and straight with respect to the rollers of the slitting and rewinding machine. Also,

owing to the plasticity ofthe paper as it comes from the paper making machinery, it

to urge rather than to forcibly control it. There is still one more factor lthat may be mentioned in this connection and that is the strain and stress placed upon the rollers andv drums of the machine when wide widths are weight of the rewound coils. Y l

The main object of this invention is to produce a slitting -and rewinding machine 'that is capable of dealing adequately with the problems above stated and to eciently being handled because of the great size-and4 and reliably slit and rewind wide sections of paper. One feature of the invention resides in a method and means for spreading the slitted web4 sections which consists inv vstretching the unslitted web transversely so as to remove andV revent the formation of ted sections will contract to a slightextent thus separating and preventing interweaving of adjacent coils. Also, in connectlon 'with this feature, there may be used a secondaryseparating means that acts to sever any fibers remaining after the slitting operation and also to slightly deflect the side edges of adjacentv sections so as to still further se arate the slitted sections.

Anot er feature ofthe invention resides in a means for compensating for the difference -far more pronounced than a similar differain thicknessof opposite sidesof the coils whenl rewinding the web. machines of this characterywhen handling freshly made webs, the differencev w1ll frequently be so great as to tend to produce a tightly wound viously, this difference may change at any time during the winding of the paper since the paper making machinery may be adjusted and the mushy end of the roll may be transferred to the other end, etc. In order to compensate for this variation, it has. been found that a rewinding device including sur- .face rewinding drums and a riding roller may be effectively used together with means for tilting the rewinding shaft with respect tc the of the smaller diameter and .increasingit on the* end having the greater diameter, the .winding action of the drums will be most effective on the larger end and least eii'ective on the rsmaller'v end so that the paper on the smaller end will wind more loosely. and thusA tend to restore a uniform diameter of roll.

In the present invention, the rear rewind, ing drum is preferably driven at a slightly higher rate of speed than the front rewinding drum; and the riding roller is so arv,ranged with relation to its driving mechanism .that it maybe driven at a higher speed than the rewinding drumor it may be disconnected from its driving means altogetherand be used as a retarding roller to effect a drag on the paper. rlhis latter condition is very effective when raising the small end of the roll with respect to the rewinding drums andl bringing it more firmly in contact with the riding roll. ln these circumstances1 it is evident that the thick end of the roller will be wound tighter by the surface rewinding drum while thev thin end of the roll will be wound more loosely by being relieved of the pressure against the rewinding drums and `by beingheld. more firmly in contact with lthe idly rotating'riding. roller; or the riding roller maybe tilted with respect to the plane of its own normal axis and withA respect -to the ref winding shaft.

Another feature of the invention resides 1n the general organization of the machine, and in the location of the various parts with respect to each other. For instance, the power unit and gearing is on one side of the machine and all of the controlling elements for both the power unit and transmission mechanism and `also for the lifting and lowering mechanism of the rewinding shaft and the riding roller, aswell as the means for tilting the rewinding shaft, are on the other,-

side of the machine grouped within easy reach of each lother.

Another feature of the invention resides in the particular means employed for tilting the rewinding'shaft which consists-here 1n a controller shaft having transmission ele'- ments at its opposite ends connected to similar elements on a displaceable rewinding shaft together with means at one end for adjusting the connection between the two shafts while maintaining interconnection between both ends.

While certain features of the invention are preferably applicable to a slitting and rewinding machine of the type previously indicated, there are features that are capable of use in ordinary slitting and rewinding machines. rl`hese other subsidiary features will further appear as the specification proceeds. l

The invention is embodied in the accompanying drawings in which: f

Figure 1 is a front elevation, looking in the direction of thearrow 1 of Fig. 3 and partly in section and with portions broken away and removed, of a machine embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view on the line 2, 2, of Fig. l.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the machine, looking in the direction of the arrow 3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a- Vertical transverse section on the line 4, 4, of Figure l.

Figure `5 is a vertical section on the line 5, 5` of Fig. 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the slitting meansl and adjacent elements' shown in Fig. Y

Figure 7 is a plan view of the deflector and separator shown in Fig. 6.

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view on.

the line 8, 8, of Fig. 1.

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional View on the line 9, 9, of Fig. 8. y

Figure 1() is a sectional view on the line 10, 10, of Fig. 6.

Figure 11 is a sectional view through one of the cutters.

Figure 12 is a vertical section on the line 12, 12, of Fig. 5. y

Figure 13 is a vertical section on the line 13,v 13, of rig. 5.

Figure 14 is a vertical section on the line 14. 14, of Fig. 3;

Figure 15'is Va sectional view on the line 15. l5, ofv Fig. 14.

Figure 16 is a plan view of a modificationof "the parts shown in Fig. 10.

Figure 17 is a front elevation of the elements shown in Fig. 16. i

Figure 18 is a section similar to a part of Fig. 6 showing rthe modifications disclosed to Figs. 16 and 17.

Figure 19 isv va detail View showing a modification ofthe deflector and separator shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

Figure 20 is a plan view of the stretching means shown in Fig. 4.

Figure 21 is an end view of the transmission unit looking from the left hand side of Fig. 13.

The invention can best be understood by first locating the main elements involved in the form that it here takes. As illustrated,` 1 and 2 indicate front and rear surface rewinding drums rotating inthe same direction; and in a plane above and between said drums is a rewinding shaft 3 and, above the-latter, a riding roller 4. The slitting means here consist of a score cutter 5 which may engage with any suitable cutter roll, such as one of the rewinding drums, but which, in the present form, acts, independently of the rewinding drums, against a roller other than the rewinding4 drum,here a cutter roll 6 provided with a surface harder than that of score cutter 5. The cutter roll 6 preferably consists of a core member, as shown, and an outer sleeve 7 having a glass-hard surface. Whatever may be the character'of the element with which the score cutter engages, said element is preferably driven positively and at the same speed at which the web travels. In

the present instance, the cutter roll 6 is' rotated positively in the same direction as rewindingv drums 1 and 2 and at the speed of rewinding drum 1. Preferably, rewinding drum 2 is driven at a slightly higher rate of speed in a manner well understood.

8 indicates a compensating roller for l guiding the webV into the machine in such manner that it will run substantially at .right angles to the axis of the slitting and rewinding elements. 9 is a stretching device for stretching the unslitted web transversely to remove longitudinal wrinkles and also toadmit, when the web is slitted, of contraction 'to normal size of the individual sections of the slitted web. 10 is a tension roller interposed between the stretching and the slitting means. 11 indicates, in a. general way, secondary separating means that act on the slitted sections before they are rewound. It will be understood that re- Winding shaft 3 and riding roller 4 are auto-v matically displaced in a vertical direction as the diameter of the rewound coils 12 increases; and, to this end, these shafts are carried by suitable slides that work in upright guides on the frame work; Appropriate means, such as a hand'wheel 13 and its connections, are provided for lifting and lowering the riding roller at the will of the operator, such means being so arranged that 15 and connections therefrom, for tilting the rewinding shaft by raising or lowering .one end so as to bring it out of parallel wheel 15 effects a permanent adjustment ot' the parts so that thereafter, and until another adjustment is made, said shaft will remain in the position, with respect to its own normal axis, to which it has been ad,- justed but that said adjustment does not prevent bodily lifting and lowering of the rewinding shaft 3 by means of hand wheel 14. 16 indicates a power unit located at one side of the machine (see Figs. 1 and 12) from which motion for actuating the various elements of the machine is derived. This power unit comprises essentially a motor element denoted by pulley 17, a clutch element 18 `for throwing power on and off, and a brake element 19 for bringing the parts to a stop when power ceases to be applied. 20 is a gear that transmits power to the diiferent parts of the machine. This gear is keyed directly to the shaft of rewinding drum 2 and transmits power directly to it, powerto the remaining portion of the machine being transmitted by the following means. Adjacent to the power v unit is a transmission unit, generally indicated by 21 (see Figs. 1,12 and 13). This transmission unit receives motion from gear 20 (Fig. 1 2) of the power unit by reason of the engagement of said gear with an intermediate gear 22. From gear 22 mo* tion is constantly transmitted to a gear 23 on the front `rewinding drum 1 and to 'a gear 24 on cutter roll 6. 25 is a bevel gear by means of which motion is transmitted to a bevel pinion 26 onan upright shaft 27 that drives riding roll 4 by means of bevel gears 28 and 29, the former of which has a splined connection 30 with shaft 27.

The above describes, in a general way, substantially all the transmission mechanism necessary for driving the machine and it will be noted that the power unit and the. transmission unit are both .located` on one side of the machine; that the power shaft carrying the gear 20 drives rear rewinding drum 2 directly; that the intermediate gear 22 of the transmission unit is in a plane between and underneath the 'surface rewinding drums (see Fig. 6); andthat said gear 22 is in mesh with the gears of both of the rewinding drums and with the gear on cutter roll 6.

'.1 he controlling :Ileana-consisting of memioo no l' bers 13, 14 and 15, for manually lifting and lowering the rewinding shaft and the riding roll and for tilting the rewinding shaft are all located on that side of the machine Which is opposite to that on Which the power and transmission units are located (Fig. 1) and, on this same side of the machine, are provided controlling members 31, 32 and 33 (Figs. 1 and 3) which control respectively clutch 18, brake 19 and a rocking member 34 for carrying score cutter 5 into and out of engagement with the cutter roll 6. llt Will be seen, therefore, that the attendant may control practically all the elements of the machine from one side thereof and this renders its manipulation simple and convenient.

Having now given'a general outline of the location of the main elements of the machine and their relation to each other, a de tail description follows: The compensating roll 8 (see Figs. 4 and 8) is a roller that extends transversely of the machine in rear of the surface rewinding drums and at a point above the stretching means 9. Suitable means are provided for tilting this roller with respect to a horizontal axis, taking, in the present instance, the form of an adjustable bearing 35 in threaded engagement with a bracket 36. Such a bearing may be provided at either or both ends of roller 8, as will be understood; and, should the paper coming from the reels of the paper making machine be distorted or travel in a path other than at right angles to the axis of the various rollers of the machine, it may be straightened by adjusting bearing 35 so that it will enter the slitting machine in a proper manner. Also, in case t-he reels of the paper making machinery and the rollers of the slitting machine should be out of alinement, the compensating roller 8 can be adjusted to correct such defect. This roller is also provided with suitable means that admit of its yielding automatically in a vertical direction at either end and that also admit of the roller being depressed bodily. This compensating roll furthermore serves to equalize the flow of the web being unwound from a parent roll on reels which may not be perfectly cylindrical in shape. In the present instance, these means take the following form. l"The bearing 35 is hollow, as shown, and lis provided 'with an intermediate abutment member 37. Extending int-o the bearing 35 is a plunger 38 forming part of the compensating roller carrying means and` provided with a reduced portion or stem 39 that extends through abutment member 37. lnterposed between abutment member 37 and plungerv 38 is a spring 40; and interposed between abutment member 37 and a nut 41 is a second spring 42. ltwill be understood that if the paper, as it comes from the paper reels, should be so distorted that one side is, in effect, shorter than the Misano? other, the action of plunger 38 against spring 40 will cause one end of compensating roller 8 to yield. On the other hand, should the web snap or break or should the chan acter of the paper suddenly change, undue recoil of compensating roll 8 will be prevented by reason of the cushioning effect of spring 42.

The stretching means 9 are here shown as being located in rear of the surface rewinding drums 1 and 2 and also in rear of, and above, tension roller 10 but below compensating roller 8. This tensioning device may take any form that will admit of its performing the functions for Which it is intended,i. e. mainly to prevent and remove longitudinal wrinkles of the web and to stretch it transversely in such manner that on being slitted the sections that are thereby formed Will naturally contract transversely, thus -separating yadj acent sections to prevent subsequent interweaving of adjacent coils when rewound. ln the present instance, the stretching means consist of a transversely extendin supporting member 43 (see Figs. 4 and 20 to which is secured, at intervals, brackets 44 having adjusted members 45 that carry a stretching bar 46. lt Will be understood that by adjusting any one of the members 45, the stretching member 46, which is sufliciently flexible for this purpose, may be given various contours to remove longitudinal wrinkles from the paper and to stretch the Web, as a whole, in a transverse direction and thereby, in a measure, increase its natural Width.

Located in rear of the slitting' mean, and below7 the rewinding drums and the stretching means, is a tension roller 10, of any suitable construction, that serves merely to keep the paper smooth and stretched during its passage to the slitting means. The roller 10 is idle,-i. e., it is not driven by any instrumentality,-and may, under certain conditions, assist in retaining the paper in its smooth and stretched condition by use of a braking element 47 (Fig. 3) exerting a slight tension on the shaft of roller 10. ln this Way, the tension roller will have suicient retarding effect on the paper to insure smoothness.

rllhe cutter roll 6 is mounted in a sliding box or bearing 48 (Figs. 5 and 6) and is constantly urged against a backing roller 49 by means of springs 50.

ln order to provide the cutter roll 6 with the hardened surface 7, it is necessary to make the roller as small asl possible since the difficulty of hardening the material increases its size increases; and, in order to prevent the tension of the paper on 'the cutter roll from warping or springing it, it is desirable, when the roll is of small diameter, to provide a backing roll such as 49, that will prevent any deflection of the cutter roll. In

l meses? y l5 cutting roll and any deflection out of the plane of severance would unfavorably affect the rewinding of the material. The backing roll 49 is mounted in adjustable bearings so as to permit its withdrawal in case the web 'should break and the paper accumulate between it and the cutter roll. In the present instance, eccentric bushings 5l are mounted in a bracket 52 (Figs. 4, 6 and 10) so that by turning an operating handle 53, the backing roll 49 may be brought out of engage- -ment with cutter roll 6. As a modification of this structure, a plurality of staggered backing rolls 49 (Figs. 16,17 and 18) may be used, each backing roll being, as before, mounted in eccentric bushings. 51. It will be seen from Fig. 18, that by this construction the cutter roll is supported in a cradle, as it were, and, in this way, not only will a backward displacement be prevented but also an up-and-down displacement or distortion.

The score cutter 5 bears a peculiar relation to the member with which it engages. In the present instance, the roll 6 is of material harder than that of cutter 5 and is driven positively by means of gear 24, as previously described, at the speed at which the paper is traveling through the vslitting means. '.l he score cutter 5 is relatively blunt and is not as hard as the surface 7 of roll 6 which prevents grooves rom being formed. Said cutter 5 rotates idly in contact with the positively driven roll 6 and is p-ivotally supported at 54, being held'under considerable tension by means otsprings 55, and other means presently to be described, against said cutting roll 6. It will be noted that if a radial line be drawn between the centers of the cutter roll 6 and the pivotal support 54, said line will be in advance, with respect to the direction of rotation of the roller 6, of a similar line drawn between the center of the cutter roll and the center of rotation 56 of the score cutter. The result is that the score cutter has, what may aptly be called, a trailing action with respect to the cutter roll 6, the effect ot which is to counter-act any tendency on the part of score cutter 5 to wobble rIhis is of the utmost importance in preventing slight inaccuracies in slitting due to minute variation in the part-s; and it will be understood that if the arrangement were reversed and the line betweenthe center of roll 6 and .the pivotal support 54 should be behind the line between the center of 6 and 56 that no trailing action would take place and consequently any tendency to wobble would be increased rather than reduced.

The score cutter and its mounting involve in themselves new features of construction which are as follows: It will be notedthat the score cutters 5 are mounted in front of the machine and constitute substantially the outermost and lowermost elements thereof. It is therefore important that these parts should not project unduly beyond the general outline-of the machine. Heretofore it has been customary to have the ends of springs 55 anchored in a stationary member independent of the mounting that carries the score cutter and b means of which it is moved toward an away from the `cutter roll. In the construction here disclosed, a very compact and convenient structure is obtained by so arrangingthe parts that the rocking member 34 that carries the score cutter also forms an abutment against which springs 55 act when the rockin member is turned to bring score cutter 5 into engagement with cutter roll 6. As here shown, this is effected by the following means: 34 indicates the hollow rocking supporting member suitably mounted in the framing of the machine. This amember is provided with a guide-way 57 on which are supported sliding brackets 58- of the individual score cutters, said brackets being secured in position by means of set screws 59. A cutter holder 60 is pivotally supported at 54 in bracket 58 and is provided with the rearwardly 'eX- tending spring 55 adjustably secured by means of a set screw 61 to a projection 62 of bracket 58. It will be seen that when rocking member 34 is turned tothe right, in Fig. 6, score cutter 5 will be brought into engagement with' cutter roll 6 and that continued movement of the rocking member 34 after Contact has been made between 5 and present instance, they take the following.

form: The holder 60 is pivotally supporte at 54 on bracket 58 and is provided with two upwardly extending arms 63 in which the score cutter itself is mounted. 64 indicates a pin provided with reduced portions 65 that fit into a square slot 66 in arms 63. 67 is an annular cutting member removably' secured .between the clamping members 68 and projectingoutwardly therefrom to form a circumferential cutting member. The two clamping members 68 are suit-ably secured together as by means of a thread 69. An anti-friction bearing 70 is used in connection with the device. In this manner, the cutting blade 67 may be renewed when required and members ot the cutter of less expensive material than if the cutting member were ofv rasate? may be utilized for rocking the member 34s ln the present instance, the member 34 is provided with an arm 71 (Figs. 1 and 3) bifurcated at its upper end to receive a block 72 through .which passes a threaded stem 73 carrying hand wheel 33 and extending at its other end into a. stationary bushing 74 on the frame work. By turning the controlling,- member 33, the threaded stein 73 will move more or less into or out of engagement with a bushing 711 thereby turning the rocking` member 34@ by engagement of block 72 in the bifurcated member 71. rll`he member 34 is hollow (Figs. a, 6 and 12) to permit connections to extend from controlling members 31 and 32 to the clutch and brake elements 18 and 19.

.after the web has been slitted into sections and before said sections are rewound into coils that are axially coincident, it is desirable to run the paper in an unsupported layer for the purpose of effecting a secondary separation ofthe slitted web sections. lf the score cutter acts against the rst rewinding drum. for the purpose of slitting the material, the paper can then be deflected away from such rewinding drum and back again to obtain the unsupported layer. ln the present instance, where the cutter roll 6 is independent of the i'irst-rewinding drum 1, this run of the paper in an unsupported layer is naturally obtained as it passes from cutter roll. 0 to the rst rewinding drum 1. will be recalled that the paperis stretched before beingslitted so that upon longitudinal slitting taking place the individual sections thus produced will contract transversely and cause separation between adjacent sections. lt happens at times, however, that there may bebetween adjacent sections a few remaining bres that have not been severed by the slitting action; and that the paper, in consequence, does not become as distinctly separated as is desirable. For the purpose of remedying.r this defect, the secondary separating' device 11 is provided. ln the form as shown (Figs. 0 and 7), this device consists of a supporting; member 75 extending transversely of the machine in front of the first rewinding drum. @n a shaft 75 is supported a plurality of brackets 7 6 held in position by means of screws 77. Fach of these brackets 76 carries a member 78, seated in a socket and held in position by a set screw 79, and consists of a generally ball-shaped member 80 that engages the side edges of the paper of adjacent sections, thus deflecting them slightly and crowding them sidewise to assist in complete separation of said sections. There may also be provided in connection with this deflecting separator, a knife blade 81, which, in the present instance, is shown as embodied in the member 80, and which serves to sever any remaining threads or fibres between adjacent sections.` ln the modification shown in Fig. 19,`a separating blade 81 is located in advance of the deflectingmember 80 and `is carried by a downwardly extending arm 82. After the sections are thus completely severed and separated, the paper passes to the rewinding drums and rewinding shaft 3 where it is rewound under the joint action of the two rewinding drums and riding roller 4f.

Extending' through the hollow rocking member 34 is a sleeve 83 (see Figs. 1, t, '3 and 12). Secured to one end of this sleeve is a controlling member 31 and secured to the other end is a lever 84 connected to a bell crank 85 pivotally supported at 86 on a thereby causing` a spiral rack to engage a spiral gear 91 to cause the clamping members 92 keyed to a shaft 89 to engage an intermediate member 93 carried by a driving,r member 9d keyed to pulley 17 but loose on shaft 89. This clutch is of the type known as the Hilliard clutch and need not be further described.

Extending through sleeve 83l is a shaft 95 secured at one end to the operating member 82 and having, at its opposite end, an arm 96 to the free end of which is secured an upwardly projecting member 97 that engages in a notch on a brake arm 98 pivoted at 99 and provided with a braking element 100 that engages brake pulley 19. This brake pulley 19 is keyed directly to sha tt 89.

rl`he transmission unit in its detail construction is as follows (Figs. 1, 12 and 13) The intermediate lrear 22 is loosely mounted 'on a stud 101 and transmits its motion to bevel gear '25 by means of ibre. washers 102 having hexagonal openmgs and carried on an internal bushing 103 of intermediate.

gear 2,2. 1interposed between the hexagonal Washers 102 are iron plates 104 slotted at their Aouter ends to receive pins 105 carried by bevel gear 25 which latter is likewise mounted loosely on stud 101. ln order to exert more or less friction between the hexagonal washers 102 and plates 104, a pressure exerting device 106 is employed. rllhis member 100 is annular in shape and surrounds the internal bus-hing 103 o-f intermediate gear 22 and is carried by pins 107 that extend Y from member 108 rotating,` with intermediate ygear 22 and also capable of a sliding movement on a key 109. Suitable means are provided for effecting this sliding movement of member 108. ln this instance, there is a stem 110 engaged in a stationary part of the frame work and provided with two collars 111 between which engages the bifurcated member 112 of rocknecesa? y ing member 113 pivotally supported at 114. This rocking with a rod 115 (Figs. 4., 12, 13 and 21,) which rod 115 is in threaded engagement with a member 116 that is loosely mounted on the hub of intermediate gear 22 so as not to partake of its rotation. .The member 116 has interposed between itself and member 108, slip rings, preferably of cast iron, indic-ated by 117. By adjusting stem 110, one way or the other, more or less pressure will be exerted. by the movement of member 116 with relation to memberl 108 which, in turn, has the eect of bringing the washers and discs 102 and 104 into more or less intimate engagement. By this means, therefore, bevel gear 25 may be driven at a eateror lesser speed, or not at all, as may e desired. To limit the pressure exerted on the friction members just described, a member 118 that carries the pivot 114 for member 113 is carried by a member 119 in the form of a' rod sliding in the framing 120 that carries at its outer end the member118. interposed between the frame work 120 and nuts 121 is an expansion spring 122. 1t will be seen that with the pressure of spring 122 set to act at a certain degree, any adjustment above this degree made by means of stem 110 will ull rod 119 through frame 120 instead of turning the member 113 on its Y pivotal support 114.

The riding roller 4 is mounted in brackets 123,l of which there is one on each side of the machine, and which are provided with a guide-way 124 embracing a guide 125 (Fig. 2) that forms a part of the uprights 126 on each side of the machine. The gear 28 that engages gear 29 of riding roller 4 is likewise carried on bracket 123 and, being splined at 30 to shaft 27, will ride up and down on the latter following the movement of the ridingl roller but will still'impart the motion of shaft 27 to Said riding roller. Connecting the brackets 123 is a tie rod 127 so that the riding roller will rise and fall in parallel relation to the rewinding drums. Brackets 123 are suspended by means of chains 128 (Figs. 1, 3 and 4)4 that pass over an idler sprocket 129 and thence over a sprocket 130 on a shaft 131. Counterweights 132 that slide on tracks 133 of the uprights in the side frame of the machine are attached to the free end of chain 128. lt will be understood that the arrangement is in duplicate at opposite sides of the machine. Suitable means for manually raising and lowering the riding roller 4 isprovided as follows: Mounted on shaft 131 is a large sprocket j134. `\Around this sprocket passes a chain 135 that is trained over an idler sprocket 136l and thence passes downward around a sprocket 137 (Figs. 3 and 9) member 113 straddles stud 101 and is provided on each side of said stud- 141 to prevent backward rotation. The controlling member 13 is also connected to sprocket 137 and, by rotating said controlling member 13, the train of connections,

.just described, leading to a shaft 131 will be actuated and riding roller 4 may be elevated or lowered at will. 'lhe pawl 141 will be released by means of a treadle 142, or otherwise.

The rewinding sl1aft'3 is carried in suitable Abrackets 143 that slide on uprights 126 of the frame work and have secured to them a vertical guide member 144 (Figs. 2 and 8) that slides in a guide 145 in uprights 126 and which have projecting rearwardly therefrom blocks 146, 146', one on each side Aof the machine. 0n the left hand side of the machine, as in Fig. 1, there is a sprocket chain 147 secured to block 146' and passing around a sprocket 148 keyedto an adjustin shaft 149 (Figs. 3, 4 and 14), said chain 147 thence passing to an idler sprocket 150 mountedon a stud at the left hand side of the machine and thence back to block 146. 0n the right hand sideof the machine, a block 146 is secured to a sprocket chain 14,7 that passes over a sprocket 148', for normal functional purposes fast on shaft 149. The chain 147 then passes over sprocket 151, thence to a sprocket 150 mounted on the right hand side of the frame work of the machine, and thence back to block 146. Keyed on shaft 149 is still another sprocket wheel 152'to which is attached a chain 153 carrying at its lower end a counterweight 154. lt will be understood that the transmission mechanism just described is interconnected at all times so as to move in unison under the influence of the rising or falling of the rewinding shaft and counterweight 154. Suitable means are provided for manually raising and lowering the rewinding shaft,in this instance, taking the following form: 14 is a controlling member mounted on shaft 139 to which is secured a pinion 155 (-F ig. 9) meshing with gear 156 mounted on stud 157 that also carries sprocket 151. By turning the controlling member 14, motlon will be imparted' through shaft 139, pinion 155. gear 156. shaft 157 and thence to the transmission mechanism for lifting and lowering the rewinding shaft so that the operator, at will. may raise or lower said shaft. Connected Ato pinion 155 is also a ratchet l159 with which engages a pawl 160 to prevent backward rotation when the rewinding shaft has been raised. Suitable means, such as connection 161, may be utilized to release pawl 160 from ratchet 159.

Appropriate means are provided for tilting'the rewinding shaft in such manner that it will remain tilted, and `Will rise or fall bodily Without changing its tilted position, With respect to its own normal axis, until another adjustment is made. Loosely mounted on the adjusting shaft 14:9 is a sleeve 162 to Which is keyed sprocket 148. Keyed to shaft 14:9 isa sleevev 163. Mounted on sleeves 162 and 163 is an adjusting member 164: adapted to impart the rotation of sha't 14:9 tov sprocket 148" or vice versa; and

valso adapted to permit independent adjustment of sprocket 148 and the chain carried thereby. ln the present instance, this is e'ected by providing sleeve 163 on shaft 149 with a straight slot 165 into which eX- 'tends a block 166 carried by the adjusting other, or both, of the turnbuckles the ridin y roller may be tilted.

*of the flexible connection 128'.

member 164. Formed in sleeve 162 1s a spiral groove 167 into which extends a block 168 also carried by the adjusting member 164. llt, now, the adjusting member 164 is moved to the right, (Fig. 15),

engagement or' block 166 With slot 165 will prevent the turning of member 164; and it therefore follows that the loose sleeve 162 Will turn on shaft 149 in response to endvvise movement of the block 168 in the spiral groove 16?v thereby turning sprocket 14e-8" and raising or lowering chain 147 and, conment with a stem 169 which, by its rotation,

Will move a pivotlever 170 on its pivotal support 171 and thus, by means ot a bifurcated end 172 extending into a groove 173 of the adjusting member 164, produce end Wise movement of the latter. .lt Will be observedthat rotation of member 164C will not be interfered with in any Way by thev action of the bifurcated end 172. v

Suitable means are provided for tilting the riding roller 4, in this instance taking the form of turnbuckles 200 forming a part llt Will be understood that by adjusting one "or t-he `We claim;

1 The method of spreading slitted Websections of flexible material which consists 1n stretching the unslitted web transversely and thereby increasing its natural Width, then. in restoring the natural Width of the material by slitting said web While stretched attacca and thereby permitting the slittedsect'ions to contract individually in a transverse direction, and then in deiecting the side edges ot the sections; A

2. The method ot spreading slitted web sections of flexible material which consists in stretching the unslitted web transversely and thereby increasing its natural Width,

then in restoring the natural Width of the material'by slitting said Web While stretched and thereby .permitting the slitted sections coincident Without intervveaving which consists in stretching the unslitted web transversely vand thereby increasing its natural Width, then in restoring the natural Width of the material by slitting said web longitudinally while stretched and thereby permitting the slitted sections to contract in dividually in a transverse direction, then in guiding the slitted sections in an unsupported layer and detlecting the side edges of the sections While traveling in an unsupported layer, and then in revvinding the slitted sections side by side. A

fl. yl`he method o ii slitting a web into sections and. ot rewinding it into coils axially coincident Without intervveaving which consists in stretching the unslitted web transversely and thereby increasing its natural Width, then in restoring the natural Width oil' the material by slitting said Web longi- A tudinally While stretched and thereby permitti'ng the slitted sections to Acontract individually in a. transverse direction, then in guiding the slitted sections in an unsupported layer, then inv severing any remaining threads between adjacent sectionsvvhile they are traveling in an unsupported layer, then in dedecting the side edges of said sections also While they are traveling in an unsupported layer, and then in rewinding the. sections Side by side.

5. A slitting and rewinding machine comprising: a first and seco-nd rewinding drum,

a rewinding shaft in a plane above and be# tween the rewinding drums,- a cutter roll below the rst rewinding drum, a score cutter in front of the cutter roll, and a backing roller behind said cutter roll and belen7 the rewinding drums.

6. A slitting and revvinding machine comprising: a first and second surface rewinding drum., a rewinding shaft in a plane above and between the rewinding drums, a cutter roll below the first rewinding drum, a. score cutter in front of the cutter roll, sepf arating means above the score cutter and 1n 

